Goal-scoring whiz Kyle Palmieri envisioned a bunch of long Stanley Cup playoff runs when he opted in July 2016 to stay home and re-sign with the Devils for $23.25 million over five seasons.

The Smithtown, N.Y.-born, Montvale, N.J.-raised winger is still waiting for a first, because that 4-games-to-1, first-round ousting to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the spring of 2018 doesn’t qualify.

Palmieri was optimistic this season would be different after the Devils won the draft lottery for the second time in three years last April and then selected can’t-miss center Jack Hughes while also trading for star defenseman P.K. Subban.

Palmieri was talking about WHL left winger Nolan Foote, who was drafted in the first round by the Lightning last June and then traded to the Devils eight months later for Coleman.

Palmieri also was talking about the Devils’ biggest building block, their most recent draft-lottery prize. He feels this way even though Hughes has managed a measly seven goals and 21 points in 61 games this season along with a team-worst minus-26 plus-minus rating.

“You look at the little flashes and the skill and the way he thinks and sees the game, and you can definitely see as he matures and gets used to the NHL level that he’s going to just keep getting better and better by the day,” Palmieri said.

He’s expected more, too, from 2018 first-overall pick Nico Hischier, who has put up a disappointing 14 goals and 36 points in 58 games this season, his third in the NHL.

“We’re building and we’re young, and guys are going to keep getting better year by year,” Palmieri said.

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